Recchi says Bruins have to stay positive

Recchi says Bruins have to stay positiveAfter a second straight disappointing loss in the Stanley Cup Final, Boston's Mark Recchi said his team has to stay positive as the B's head home for Game 3.

VANCOUVER -- Mark Recchi became the oldest player in the NHL era to score a goal in the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night.

At the time it was the go-ahead goal as the Boston Bruins, propelled by an excellent second period, were 20 minutes from splitting the two contests here at Rogers Arena. Vancouver rallied with a goal in the third period and another 11 seconds into overtime to defeat the Bruins and earn a 2-0 series lead.

Recchi collected his third goal of this postseason at 11:35 of the second period. He tipped a shot by Zdeno Chara from the left point with the Bruins on the power play. It was Boston's sixth extra-man goal of the postseason, and the first for Recchi.

At 43 years and 123 days old, Recchi is the oldest player to score in a Stanley Cup Final game -- surpassing Detroit's Igor Larionov, who was 41 years and 189 days old when he scored in Game 4 of the 2002 Cup Final.

Here's some of what Recchi had to say after the game:

Q: This is the second night in a row you've done an awful lot right (and lost) -- how do you handle that?

A: You stay positive. We've been here before and we've been in this situation and actually going the other way when we had to go on the road and win a couple games. We get to go home. We get to go home to our fans and our city and we have to go and try and make it hard for them and get a couple wins there. No. 1: We have to get a win on Monday first and then worry about Wednesday after that.

Q: Is it extra frustrating considering how well you played in that second period?

A: You can be frustrated, but we can't focus on that right now. We'll regroup. It is disappointing. The guys are really disappointed right now, but at the same time when we get on that plane tomorrow it has to be forgotten about. We've got to worry about Monday and doing our job at home and trying to get this series 2-1 and then focus on Game 4 and hopefully we're in a position to come here and try and steal one.

Q: After the power-play goal and having the lead, did it seem like everything was playing out just right going into the third period?

A: Yeah, it was for the most part a really solid game. They score a big goal in the third period, but we still felt like the game was in control. It wasn't really one way or the other. Especially in the second period -- I thought we were really good in the second. We'll take a lot of positives out of this and we'll be disappointed tonight. Once we step on that plane tomorrow morning, we've got to get focused and get excited again to get home and get in front of our home crowd.

Q: Is it a sigh of relief when that power-play goal goes in?

A: We don't -- [the media] makes a bigger deal about that than us. We believe in each other. We trust in each other and we're trying hard. It was a big goal at the time, and that's the most important thing. It doesn't matter that it was power play or 5-on-5. It is just something we have to continue to work on. Our power play I think has been in this series so far in two games and we have to continue that. At the same time, we have to try to not make mistakes and give them opportunities.

Q: Two strong games and you could have won either one -- mentally, is that a hurdle to overcome?

A: No, not really. We've been good at it. We're disappointed tonight, but once we get on that plane tomorrow that has to go away. We have to remember we're going home now. We're going home to our crowd and our environment. That's going to be exciting, and we can take a lot of positives out of this. We came in here and pushed them. Now we have to go home and do our job there and see what we can do in Game 3.

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft